Written Answers Thursday 15 April 2010

Scottish Executive

Alcohol

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has issued guidance on the overprovision of licences to sell alcohol.

Kenny MacAskill: Guidance to licensing boards concerning operation of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005, including overprovision, was agreed by Parliament under the affirmative resolution procedure and published by the previous administration

Alcohol

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what constitutes overprovision of licensed premises in any given area.

Kenny MacAskill: The Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 introduced a duty for licensing boards to assess whether there is overprovision of licensed premises or licensed premises of a particular description in any locality within the board’s area. By virtue of the act, it is for licensing boards to determine what constitutes overprovision in any given area.

Alcohol

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many licences to sell alcohol have been refused on the grounds of overprovision

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether licences to sell alcohol have been awarded by a sheriff on appeal following a licensing board decision to refuse on the grounds of overprovision.

Kenny MacAskill: This information is not held centrally.

Apprenticeships

Christina McKelvie (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, following its announcement on 17 March 2010 of almost 20,000 people starting a modern apprenticeship over the last year, whether it will provide a breakdown of these apprenticeships by (a) constituency and (b) local authority area.

Keith Brown: The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally. I will ask the Chief Executive of Skills Development Scotland to respond to you with this information.

Communities

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what sources of funding are available to local communities in the South of Scotland for community land purchase.

Roseanna Cunningham: Funding available to communities may include grant aid, loans, and private investment. Communities determine the best funding source appropriate to their proposed purchase of land.

  Information on funding is available through channels such as Rural Direct and the Rural Funding Opportunities Guide leaflet, published by the Scottish Government in 2009. Both are available at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/farmingrural/Rural/rural-communities/access-funding.

  The Community Right to Buy website also includes a number of funding options and the Community Right to Buy guidance includes contact details for a number of funders:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/farmingrural/Rural/rural-land/right-to-buy/Resources.

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/farmingrural/Rural/rural-land/right-to-buy/Community/Guidance.

Communities

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many communities in the South of Scotland have purchased land for community use and what sources of funding were used.

Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government holds details of community land purchases under the Community Right to Buy provisions of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 ("the 2003 Act"). There is no requirement to intimate to the Scottish Government other arrangements between communities and landowners to purchase or lease land.

  Under the Community Right to Buy provisions of the 2003 Act, 15 communities in the South of Scotland have registered an interest in land and will have the chance to buy that land should it be offered for sale. No communities in this area have, to date, acquired land under these provisions.

  The Scottish Government does not hold information on the sources of funding used by communities to purchase land.

Communities

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what support it provides to communities in the South of Scotland that wish to purchase land for community use.

Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government provides a range of support for communities throughout Scotland wishing to acquire land. Officials can provide guidance to communities wishing to use the Community Right to Buy provisions in the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003. Information and guidance is also available on the right to buy website at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/farmingrural/Rural/rural-land/right-to-buy/Community.

  We encourage communities to contact officials as early as possible so that they can consider fully the options available to them to purchase land and work up their proposals for the sustainable development of that land.

  In addition work in taking forward the Community Empowerment Action Plan includes a two year programme addressing awareness raising among councillors, local authority officers and community groups about the benefits of community asset ownership and asset transfers; identifying and disseminating lessons from effective practice, and providing targeted development support for selected community groups to enable them to take on transferred assets.

Communities

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether representatives of the Scottish-Islamic Foundation met Scottish Enterprise to discuss the proposed Islamic Expo and, if so, on what dates, broken down by officials involved.

Jim Mather: Scottish Enterprise is responsible for the allocation of its resources consistent with delivery of the objectives and priorities agreed with Scottish ministers and set out in its corporate plan.

  I will ask its chief executive to write to you in this regard.

Drug Misuse

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been admitted to a hospital as a result of overdosing on methadone in each of the last 10 years, also broken down by (a) NHS board and (b) hospital.

Shona Robison: The following table shows the number of patients discharged from hospitals in Scotland with a diagnosis of poisoning by methadone over the last 10 years, broken down by health board of treatment. A breakdown by hospital of treatment is not available due to small numbers and the potential risk of disclosure.

  We recognise that we need to know more about these individuals and their circumstances to protect others from overdose. That is why the Scottish Government is working closely with the National Drugs Deaths forum, comprising of experts including (amongst others) general practitioners, paramedics, pathologists and individuals in recovery. The forum is leading on the development of the drug-related deaths database. The Scottish Government has invested significantly in this database so that the circumstances around each death are better understood and consequently preventions better planned, at a local and national level.

  General Acute Inpatient and Day Case Discharges1, Patients with a Diagnosis of Poisoning by Methadone2,3,4,5 in any Position: 1999-2000 to 2008-09P

  

 NHS Board of Treatment6
 1999-2000
 2000-01
 2001-02
 2002-03
 2003-04


 NHS Ayrshire and Arran
 12
 8
 12
 10
 10


 NHS Borders
 *
 -
 -
 -
 *


 NHS Dumfries and Galloway
 *
 *
 *
 -
 *


 NHS Fife
 8
 10
 10
 15
 10


 NHS Forth Valley
 -
 *
 *
 *
 *


 NHS Grampian
 24
 10
 23
 18
 6


 NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
 33
 42
 43
 45
 47


 NHS Highland
 7
 *
 *
 *
 *


 NHS Lanarkshire
 *
 6
 8
 11
 16


 NHS Lothian
 77
 70
 47
 63
 46


 NHS Orkney
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 NHS Shetland
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 NHS Tayside
 28
 19
 26
 28
 21


 NHS Western Isles
 -
 -
 *
 *
 -


 NHSScotland6
 196
 171
 177
 198
 161



  

 NHS Board of Treatment
 2004-05
 2005-06
 2006-07
 2007-08
 2008-09P


 NHS Ayrshire and Arran
 27
 18
 30
 21
 23


 NHS Borders
 *
 *
 *
 *
 -


 NHS Dumfries and Galloway
 *
 *
 *
 -
 6


 NHS Fife
 5
 14
 5
 9
 24


 NHS Forth Valley
 -
 *
 *
 *
 *


 NHS Grampian
 11
 5
 *
 12
 25


 NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
 46
 36
 55
 37
 52


 NHS Highland
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 NHS Lanarkshire
 14
 14
 10
 11
 8


 NHS Lothian
 40
 55
 61
 73
 70


 NHS Orkney
 -
 -
 *
 -
 -


 NHS Shetland
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 NHS Tayside
 17
 8
 9
 8
 9


 NHS Western Isles
 -
 -
 *
 -
 -


 NHSScotland6
 169
 158
 186
 179
 225



  Notes:

  1. Excludes mental illness hospitals, psychiatric units and maternity hospitals.

  2. Diseases recorded using the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision (ICD10): T403 - Poisoning by methadone

  3. Includes cases where the poisoning is either intentional or unintentional.

  4. Caution is necessary when interpreting these figures. The recording of poisoning by methadone may vary from hospital to hospital.

  5. Figures shown for specific diagnoses include an element of double counting where a patient is discharged in more than one year.

  6. Includes all patients treated in Scotland regardless of whether they are resident in Scotland.

  *Indicates small numbers that have been suppressed due to potential risk of disclosure.

Drug Misuse

Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many deaths by a methadone overdose have been recorded by each (a) local authority and (b) NHS board in each year since 2004.

Fergus Ewing: The GROS annual publication Drug-related Deaths in Scotland provides background information about drug-related death statistics, covers the definition of the kinds of death which are counted as drug-related and how the drugs involved in such deaths are reported (and can be found at the following link: http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/statistics/publications-and-data/drug-related-deaths/index.html ).

  The latest report explains why there is a break in the series of figures for drugs reported between 2007 and 2008 which can be found at the following link:

  http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/files2/stats/drug-related-deaths/drug-related-deaths-in-scotland-in-2008.pdf.

  The figures which are available are given in table 1, It is important to note that alcohol was also present in some cases.

  Table 1: Drug-Related Deaths for which Methadone was the Only Drug Reported

  

 
 Registration Year


 2004
 2005
 2006
 2007
 2008


 Local Authority
 
 
 
 
 


 Aberdeen City
 1
 .
 .
 .
 .


 Aberdeenshire
 .
 .
 .
 .
 1


 Angus
 1
 .
 .
 .
 .


 Argyll + Bute
 .
 .
 .
 1
 .


 Ayrshire East
 .
 .
 .
 2
 .


 Ayrshire North
 .
 1
 3
 2
 .


 Ayrshire South
 .
 .
 .
 .
 .


 Borders
 .
 .
 .
 .
 .


 Clackmannanshire
 .
 .
 .
 .
 .


 Dumfries + Galloway
 .
 .
 .
 .
 2


 Dunbartonshire East
 .
 .
 .
 .
 1


 Dunbartonshire West
 .
 .
 4
 3
 1


 Dundee City
 1
 1
 1
 .
 .


 Edinburgh City
 1
 4
 .
 6
 4


 Eilean Siar
 .
 .
 .
 .
 .


 Falkirk
 .
 1
 1
 1
 1


 Fife
 .
 .
 .
 2
 2


 Glasgow City
 6
 8
 28
 15
 6


 Highland
 1
 1
 .
 .
 2


 Inverclyde
 .
 .
 1
 .
 .


 Lanarkshire North
 .
 3
 3
 1
 1


 Lanarkshire South
 1
 .
 1
 3
 .


 Lothian East
 .
 1
 .
 1
 1


 Lothian West
 .
 1
 .
 .
 .


 Midlothian
 .
 1
 .
 .
 .


 Moray
 .
 .
 .
 .
 .


 Orkney
 .
 .
 .
 .
 1


 Perth + Kinross
 1
 .
 .
 .
 .


 Renfrewshire
 1
 1
 1
 3
 1


 Renfrewshire East
 .
 .
 .
 .
 .


 Shetland
 .
 .
 .
 .
 .


 Stirling
 .
 1
 .
 .
 .


 All
 14
 24
 43
 40
 24


 NHS Board
 
 
 
 
 


 Ayrshire + Arran
 .
 1
 3
 4
 .


 Borders
 .
 .
 .
 .
 .


 Dumfries + Galloway
 .
 .
 .
 .
 2


 Fife
 .
 .
 .
 2
 2


 Forth Valley
 .
 2
 1
 1
 1


 Grampian
 1
 .
 .
 .
 1


 Greater Glasgow + Clyde
 7
 9
 34
 22
 9


 Highland 
 1
 1
 .
 1
 2


 Lanarkshire
 1
 3
 4
 3
 1


 Lothian
 1
 7
 .
 7
 5


 Orkney
 .
 .
 .
 .
 1


 Shetland
 .
 .
 .
 .
 .


 Tayside
 3
 1
 1
 .
 .


 Western Isles
 .
 .
 .
 .
 .


 All
 14
 24
 43
 40
 24



  Note: (.) denotes that no such deaths occurred in these local authorities and NHS boards in these years

  The number of drug-related deaths in 2009 will be published by GROS in August 2010.

Electricity

Jim Tolson (Dunfermline West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people died from causes or accidents related to the supply, distribution and use of electricity in each of the last five years.

Jim Mather: This information is not held by the Scottish Government.

  However, data on major and minor accidents relating to the supply and distribution of electricity is held by the Energy Network Association, who are the industry body for UK energy transmission and distribution licence holders and operator. Reports covering the last seven years can be found at: http://2010.energynetworks.org/safelec-2010-reports

Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it accepts all the recommendations in Audit Scotland’s Review of orthopaedic services and, if so, what action it will take, together with NHS boards, to improve services.

Nicola Sturgeon: I welcome Audit Scotland’s Review of orthopaedic services and the Scottish Government Health Directorates have already begun to implement several of the recommendations. We have established an "Efficiency & Productivity" programme, closely linked to our Quality Strategy, to improve productivity and the efficiency of services. Progress is already being made by shifting the balance of care to more community and team based services, improving benchmarking information and supporting boards to further increase rates of same day surgery.

  The increasing demand on orthopaedic services for joint replacements has been significant. From 2000 to 2008, the number of knee replacements increased by 106% and hip replacements increased by 43%. The Scottish Government has continued to increase investment in orthopaedic services with £370 million dedicated towards this area last year alone and this report recognises that considerable improvements have been made. An area of significant improvement is in waiting times. NHS boards have exceeded their waiting time targets by effectively meeting the March 2010 targets in March 2009. This is a substantial achievement by NHS staff.

  Service improvements related to orthopaedic services are being taken forward by the national and local NHS board 18 Weeks Improvement Teams and the focus of this activity will be targeted at the key areas within this report.

Justice

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people charged with assault to injury have received a direct measure since 1 April 2008.

Kenny MacAskill: Approximately 71,000 charges of assault are recorded by the police each year. Eight hundred and fifteen people in 2008-09 and 546 in 2009-10, have been issued with direct measures for assault to injury by procurators fiscal in terms of the Criminal Proceedings etc (Reform) (Scotland) Act 2007.

  The new direct measures, introduced with unanimous support by this Parliament in 2007, have helped to make the summary criminal courts in Scotland faster and more effective and over 50,000 police officers and members of the public have been spared the need to go to court to give evidence.

Kinship Care

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-31793 by Adam Ingram on 11 March 2010, what is meant by "or otherwise" and whether specific timescales have been set to bring together representatives to ensure that local authorities are discharging their duties to looked-after children, including those in kinship care.

Adam Ingram: The Scottish Government is taking steps to help local authorities to benefit from each others’ experiences in relation to looked-after children, including those in kinship care, for example

  We have written to local authorities following the release of the latest Children Looked After Statistics, reminding them of their obligations and asking what further support they need to deliver these. We will use this dialogue to arrange a meeting with elected members and senior officials to explore progress made and how this can be replicated.

  In partnership with the Association of Directors of Social Work, we are organising a seminar to consider what our shared priorities should be in ensuring looked-after children, young people, care leavers and the people who look after them get the support they need.

  We are funding the Corporate Parenting National Training Programme, developed by Who Cares? Scotland. The programme is aimed at improving awareness and capacity of elected members, community planning partners, health board members and relevant health professions of their corporate parenting responsibilities.

  We have set up a Looked After Children Strategic Implementation Group to drive forward key elements of the agenda around improving outcomes for looked after children. This is a high level group with a membership which spans the looked after sector and local authorities will be represented by COSLA. The first meeting of this group will take place on 19 May 2010.

Local Government Finance

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been made available to each local authority to improve air quality in each year since 1999.

Roseanna Cunningham: The information requested is provided in the following table for 2005-06 onwards, the period for which electronic records are available. The information for 1999 to 2005 could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. Allocations are based on an application process, rather than being made automatically. The figures given below are total allocations for two separate grant schemes, relating to Local Air Quality Management and vehicle emissions testing. Not all local authorities apply for funding in a given financial year. Complete figures are not yet available for 2009-10.

  From 2008-09 all local authorities have also received a direct non ring fenced allocation for air quality work. This is a consequence of the concordat signed by the Scottish Ministers and the COSLA presidential team in November 2007, which rolled up a number of specific capital grants into a single General Capital Grant. The air quality allocation is based on funding provided over the previous five years.

  

 Local authority
 2005-06 (£)
 2006-07 (£)
 2007-08 (£)
 2008-09 (£)


 Aberdeen
 46,313.19
 62,866.31
 39,126.60
 53,550.00


 Aberdeenshire
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Angus
 14,433.12
 13,549.00
 21,999.00
 0


 Argyll and Bute
 0
 21,958.18
 7,357.32
 0


 Clackmannanshire
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Dumfries and Galloway
 0
 0
 0
 4,986.00


 Dundee
 118,000.00
 106,817.00
 17,850.00
 0


 East Ayrshire
 10,703.14
 0
 28,913.00
 43,803.66


 East Dunbartonshire
 53,201.06
 86,203.79
 46,593.18
 35,610.00


 Eilean Siar
 0
 0
 0
 0


 East Lothian
 0
 0
 10,466.00
 0


 East Renfrewshire
 400.00
 1,850.00
 12,206.00
 3,995.00


 Edinburgh
 0
 28,124.71
 12,500.00
 0


 Falkirk
 0
 17,705.00
 16,950.00
 7,500.00


 Fife
 41,386.00
 23,127.00
 60,000.00
 54,784.00


 Glasgow
 263,990.88
 351,360.89
 265,000.00
 320,698.07


 Highland
 0
 0
 12,250.15
 0


 Inverclyde
 0
 0
 10,750.50
 0


 Midlothian
 25,494.06
 0
 0
 20,285.64


 Moray
 0
 0
 0
 0


 North Ayrshire
 0
 0
 10,305.44
 32,689.22


 North Lanarkshire
 57,975.61
 60,226.72
 89,130.50
 134,537.19


 Orkney
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Perth and Kinross
 74,931.50
 72,193.50
 44,555.50
 41,500.00


 Renfrewshire
 8,720.00
 27,916.00
 48,622.00
 24,590.00


 Scottish Borders
 0
 0
 21,930.00
 0


 Shetland
 0
 0
 30,000
 0


 South Ayrshire
 23,728.49
 13,353.92
 46,830.27
 12,735.18


 South Lanarkshire
 0
 0
 111,094.00
 0


 Stirling
 14,000.00
 14,918.00
 14,768.46
 0


 West Dunbartonshire
 40,830.00
 55,530.00
 28,000.00
 11,999.30


 West Lothian
 80,232.66
 76,589.66
 175,511.25
 147,190.59

NHS Finance

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the impact on patient care will be of a 5% reduction in departmental budgets in NHS Grampian.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government expects NHS Grampian to provide the highest possible standard of healthcare and it has received a cash increase of £16 million in its 2010-11 budget. NHS Grampian has advised that whilst the local requirement to deliver a 5% savings target during 2010-11 is challenging, it is achievable. The board is currently looking at a whole range of efficiency measures with a view to identifying those that will not impact on patient care.

Older People

Jim Tolson (Dunfermline West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to improve access to and encourage use of the internet among people aged over 60.

Jim Tolson (Dunfermline West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to improve computer literacy in people aged over 50.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government is working with local partners to promote a range of support which can help everyone, including people in this age group, to improve their ICT skills. This includes adult learning schemes, such as ICT training materials developed for tutors through the Adult Literacies Online website, and programmes in Scotland’s libraries, which also offer free broadband internet access and often have specific initiatives aimed at older people. The Scottish Government is also reviewing the previous Digital Inclusion in Partnership national strategy – published under the former administration – and will use the output from that exercise to consider what further measures may be necessary to continue to improve digital inclusion in Scotland.

Planning

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to make changes to the planning gain scheme and, if so, whether it will consult on such changes.

Alison McInnes (North East Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is considering reviewing the planning gain mechanism and, if so, what specific changes it is considering; what impact these changes will have, and when the review will be published.

Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government has no plans to change the underlying principles and mechanisms for negotiating planning agreements. We will however shortly be publicly consulting on draft regulations required to implement the changes contained in the Planning etc (Scotland) Act 2006.

  The provisions within section 23 of the Planning etc (Scotland) Act 2006 will specifically allow developers to propose unilateral obligations on developments and will introduce a formal mechanism for modifying or discharging agreements, including allowing appeals to Scottish ministers.

Planning

Alison McInnes (North East Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has seconded representatives from development companies to examine the planning gain mechanism.

Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government has seconded two members of staff from GVA Grimley. Their remit is to examine blockages to development in the current economic climate and explore alternative approaches to addressing these. Part of this work involves considering alternative approaches to securing infrastructure provision in addition to planning agreements.

Planning

Alison McInnes (North East Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has seconded representatives from local government to examine the planning gain mechanism and, if not, whether it plans to do so.

Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government has not seconded representatives from local government to examine the planning gain mechanism and has no current plans to do so. We are working with COSLA and other local government groups on wider work related to blockages to development.

Planning

Alison McInnes (North East Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what recent representations it has received from local authorities regarding the planning gain mechanism.

Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government recently published Planning Circular 1/2010: Planning Agreements . The Circular was subject to public consultation in 2009 with 22 planning authorities responding to the consultation.

Planning

Alison McInnes (North East Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the importance of the planning gain mechanism to local authorities in developing their communities.

Stewart Stevenson: Planning gain or developer contributions are generally obtained through the use of planning agreements. Planning agreements have a limited but useful role to play in the development management process where they can be used to overcome obstacles to the grant of planning permission.

  Scottish Government policy on the use of planning agreements is set out in the recently published Planning Circular 1/2010: Planning Agreements.

  Planning Circular 1/2010: Planning Agreements can be viewed on the Scottish Government website at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2010/01/27103054/0.

Planning

Alison McInnes (North East Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received indicating that the planning gain mechanism is open to abuse.

Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government has not received any representations indicating that the planning gain mechanism is open to abuse.

Planning

Alison McInnes (North East Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the sufficiency of tests used to determine the appropriateness of using the planning gain mechanism and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

Stewart Stevenson: Scottish Government guidance on the use of planning agreements is set out in Planning Circular 1/2010: Planning Agreements . The guidance sets out a series of policy tests which are to be met before a planning agreement is sought. Planning authorities are expected to satisfy themselves that a planning agreement is both necessary and justified in any particular instance.

  In developing the guidance in Circular 1/2010 the Scottish Government undertook extensive public consultation. All views expressed were taken into account and the guidance, including the policy tests, has been generally welcomed by both public and private sector interests.

  Planning Circular 1/2010: Planning Agreements can be viewed on the Scottish Government website at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2010/01/27103054/0.

Prison Service

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it defines the assessed operating limit (AOL) of a prison and what the AOL of each prison is.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Willie Pretswell, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. His response is as follows:

  To assist in managing the consequential risks associated with the pressure on the prison system when the prisoner population reaches defined levels in each establishment, the Assessed Operational Limit (AOL) was introduced in 2008 to establish the numerical level at which prison management assess they can safely operate the establishment in the short term.

  The AOL is a dynamic risk assessment of the capacity beyond which prison management assess there to be unacceptable risks, taking into account the health and safety of both prisoners and staff, the need to deliver an acceptable regime, European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR) and other minimum requirements.

  When the prisoner population is in excess of the AOL, the SPS can no longer guarantee that the continued operation of Scotland’s prisons is operationally safe or complaint with legal obligations.

  The AOL for each prison is reviewed periodically as circumstances change. The current AOL for each establishment is:

  

 Establishment
 AOL


 Aberdeen
 255


 Addiewell
 7001


 Barlinnie
 1,600


 Cornton Vale
 440


 Dumfries
 216


 Edinburgh
 960


 Glenochil
 750


 Greenock
 330


 Inverness
 162


 Kilmarnock
 5481


 Open Estate
 5192


 Perth
 7123


 Peterhead
 306


 Polmont
 837


 Shotts
 537



  Notes:

  1. HMP Addiewell and HMP Kilmarnock figures are based on the number of Available Prisoner Places which are currently provided to SPS

  2. The Open Estate AOL is subject to the availability of sufficient qualifying prisoners who meet the strict entry criteria for progression from closed to open conditions. The average prisoner population in the Open Estate during the last six months was around 240 compared with the current AOL of 519.

  3. HMP Perth AOL excludes Friarton Hall which is currently closed pending consideration of its future use.

Renewable Energy

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason the Energy Saving Scotland home renewables grant scheme has been withdrawn for electricity generating technologies and for new build properties.

Jim Mather: The Energy Saving Scotland home renewables grant scheme has been withdrawn for electricity generating technologies and new build properties because new initiatives will encourage significant uptake of these technologies and in these properties. Home renewables grants will therefore have a greater impact if focussed on heat generating technologies in existing buildings.

  The forthcoming Feed-In Tariff will offer renewable electricity microgenerators a guaranteed payment for the electricity they generate for the next 20 years (25 for solar photovoltaic) and is expected to give an annual return on investment of 5-8%.

  In terms of new build, the Scottish Government is committed to improving the energy performance of new build homes and the 2007 document, A Low Carbon Building Standards Strategy For Scotland also known as The Sullivan Report produced by an expert panel for Scottish ministers, recommended staged standards leading towards zero carbon buildings by 2016-17, if practical.

  As a first step, the 2010 change in energy standards for homes should deliver carbon dioxide savings of 30% more than 2007 standards and the use of low carbon equipment and renewables will become increasingly common to comply with this minimum standard.

Renewable Energy

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason applications to the Energy Saving Scotland home renewables grant scheme are not always processed within 15 working days, as stated on the application pack.

Jim Mather: The application pack for the Energy Saving Scotland home renewables grant scheme outlines that there is an aim to process applications within 15 working days.

  In most cases applications are processed within these timescales. However, at times of exceptionally high demand, processing occasionally falls outwith 15 working days. In addition some applications once in process are found to be incomplete and therefore require further information from the applicant.

Renewable Energy

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will accept all eligible applications to the Energy Saving Scotland home renewables grant scheme for electricity generating technologies and for new build properties lodged before 24 February 2010.

Jim Mather: All eligible applications to the Energy Saving Scotland home renewables grant scheme received on or prior to 24 February 2010 have been accepted and are being processed, including those which are for electricity generating renewables systems or for new build properties.

Renewable Energy

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its projections are for annual income from renewable energy projects promoted on Forestry Commission land over the next five years.

Roseanna Cunningham: Annual income from renewable energy projects on the national forest estate could rise to around £10 million over the next five years, but this is subject to a number of factors, including the price of renewable energy.

Renewable Energy

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the projected number is of electricity generating technology devices expected to be installed in light of the withdrawal of the Energy Saving Scotland home renewables grant for such devices.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government expects that installations of renewable electricity generating devices will significantly increase with the introduction of the Feed-In Tariff (FIT) on 1 April 2010, even in light of the withdrawal of Energy Saving Scotland home renewables grants for these devices.

  The UK Department of Energy and Climate Change have projected that installations under the FIT will total 750,000 across the UK by 2020 and we will seek at least Scotland’s proportionate share of this.

Renewable Energy

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation was carried out with constrction and renewables industry representatives regarding the withdrawal of the Energy Saving Scotland home renewables grant for electricity generating technologies.

Jim Mather: Because of the unexpected spike in demand the Scottish Government did not formally consult with industry representatives regarding the withdrawal of the Energy Saving Scotland home renewables grants for electricity generating technologies. But we have an ongoing dialogue with industry representatives through the Forum for Renewable Energy Development in Scotland and the Scottish Microrenewables Working Group on the future of microgeneration support and the Feed-In Tariff.

  Also, our recent consultation on Conserve and Save: The Energy Efficiency Action Plan for Scotland asked questions on how Scottish Government support for microrenewables should be delivered in light of the UK Government’s Clean Energy Cashback Schemes and how we can improve the energy performance of Scotland’s housing to help meet our climate change objectives. The response to this consultation are available on the Scottish Government website at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Business-Industry/Energy/Action/energy-efficiency-policy/ActionPlan.

Renewable Energy

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much money will be saved by the withdrawal of the Energy Saving Scotland home renewables grant for electricity generating technologies.

Jim Mather: There will be no overall savings to the Energy Saving Scotland Home Renewables Grant budget line of £2.6 million in 2010-11. By closing the scheme to electricity generating technologies, the Scottish Government has been able to ensure that the remaining £450,000 is available for heat generating technology applications.

Renewable Energy

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason the Energy Saving Scotland home renewables grant scheme was ended on 17 March 2010.

Jim Mather: The Energy Saving Scotland home renewables grant scheme was ended for electricity generating technologies because this funding was allocated on a first come first served basis and saw a substantial increase in the uptake of grants for these technologies over the last few months.

  This led to a more rapid reduction of funds than anticipated and meant the scheme had to stop accepting new applications for electricity generating technologies just short of the introduction of the Feed-In Tariff on 1 April 2010.

  Home renewables grants currently remains open for heat generating technologies in existing buildings. New initiatives in relation to electricity technologies such as the Feed-In Tariff and enhanced energy standards in new buildings will encourage significant uptake of these technologies.

Renewable Energy

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason applications for grants and loans under the Energy Saving Scotland (ESS) home renewables grant scheme and the home loan scheme received by the ESS on 16 March 2010 are not being processed.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government decided that applications that had begun to be processed by 17 March 2010 would be progressed. This was based on the amount of funding remaining unallocated for the programme.

Renewable Energy

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications to the Energy Saving Scotland home renewables grant scheme and the home loan scheme received prior to 17 March 2010 have not been processed.

Jim Mather: The number of applications for Energy Saving Scotland home renewables grant and home loan schemes received up to close of business on 17 March 2010 that have not been processed are 131 and 69 respectively.

Renewable Energy

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding it has distributed in the form of grants to support marine renewable research and development in each of the last seven years.

Jim Mather: The first research and development grants to marine projects and developers were awarded in February 2007, under the Wave and Tidal Energy Scheme (WATES). Payments under the scheme have been as follows (based on financial years):

  

 2007-08:
£1,204,355


 2008-09:
£573,752


 2009-10:
£888,462


 Total:
£2,666,569



  In addition to this, the Scottish Government has also released over £2.5 million during the last two years to help develop the infrastructure needed to accommodate WATES projects located at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney.

Renewable Energy

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding it intends to distribute in the form of grants to support marine renewable research and development in 2010-11.

Jim Mather: As things stand, we expect to pay a further £4.8 million during 2010-11 in support of the remaining WATES projects.

  We will also be transferring to Scottish Enterprise the funds which will deliver our £12 million Wave and Tidal Energy: Research, Development and Demonstration Support fund (WATERS). Grants from this fund in response to the current call for applications will be announced by the end of June.

Renewable Energy

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the £12 million WATERS fund will be made up of unallocated, unclaimed or withdrawn funds from the Wave and Tidal Energy Support Scheme and, in the case of unclaimed or withdrawn funds, what are the values of these funds and to whom were they originally allocated.

Jim Mather: The WATERS fund will comprise £10 million in new funding, plus a further £1.8 million representing funds which were originally allocated to AWS Ocean Energy Ltd prior to being withdrawn last year.

Renewable Energy

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what role it will play in managing and administering the WATERS fund.

Jim Mather: Scottish Enterprise will lead on the management and administration of the WATERS fund, working closely with the Scottish Government and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

Renewable Energy

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive in what ways the WATERS fund will differ from the Wave and Tidal Energy Support Scheme in terms of (a) project eligibility, (b) applicant eligibility, (c) the type of support available, (d) the distribution of payments and (e) the expected number of successful applicants.

Jim Mather: The eligibility criteria under WATERS are broadly similar to those which applied under WATES. The key difference with respect to projects is that there is no requirement to locate at EMEC, or to connect directly to the relevant local distribution network. Meanwhile, WATERS has also ruled out from its current call applications for collaborative projects, as these have the option to respond to a separate call from the Technology Strategy Board.

  While capital intervention under WATES was capped at 40%, WATERS will be able to award grants ranging from 25% to 50% of eligible costs, depending on both the nature of the application and the size of the applicant. Unlike WATES, there will be no revenue payments available through the WATERS fund.

  Payments under WATERS will be made quarterly in arrears, based upon actual expenditure against pre-defined eligible costs. This is similar to the system of payments under WATES, which have been issued in arrears subject to the achievement of key agreed milestones. The expectation is that projects receiving support through WATERS will typically be of 18 to 24 month duration.

  One area where WATES and WATERS are entirely in sync is that neither fund opened with a view on the expected number of successful applicants.

Rural Development

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide detailed information on awards made under the Rural Priorities scheme since its inception, including location and work undertaken, broken down by Regional Proposal Assessment Committee region.

Richard Lochhead: Details of committed awards under the Rural Priorities scheme are published on the Scottish Government website. Over £260 million has been committed to date with the seventh approval round commencing this month.

Scottish Enterprise

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what bonus payments (a) were made in 2008-09 and (b) have been made in 2009-10 to employees of Scottish Enterprise.

Jim Mather: Scottish Enterprise is responsible for allocating any bonus payments.

  I will ask its Chief Executive to write to you in this regard.

Scottish Government Procurement

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive which of its (a) current contracts contain and (b) previous contracts allocated in the last five years have contained community benefit clauses.

John Swinney: We published guidance on the use of community benefit clauses in February 2008. Since then, the Scottish Government has included community benefit clauses in the tender documentation for construction contracts for the Scottish Crime Campus and the managing agency contract for the Energy Assistance Package. The information on the use of community benefit clauses prior to 2008 is not held centrally.

  The Scottish Government’s Ready for Business Programme helped NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde use Community Benefit clauses in the construction of the Southern General Hospital. This project will generate 250 new training and employment opportunities.

Speech and Language Therapy

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of a survey by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists between January and February 2009 that showed that services for speech and language therapy service users were worsening in some areas, how the Scottish Government will ensure that NHS boards and local authorities do not discriminate against these service users in their planning for anticipated reductions in spending.

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of a survey by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists between January and February 2009 that showed that reductions in funding were resulting in reductions in speech and language therapy services and staff and reducing access to such services in some areas, how the Scottish Government will ensure that there is no further reduction in services as a result of reductions in funding in 2010 and 2011.

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of a survey by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists between January and February 2009 that showed that there were variations in the amount of speech and language therapy provision available per head of population across NHS board areas, how the Scottish Government will ensure that such variation does not increase as a result of reductions in funding in 2010 and 2011.

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of a survey by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists between January and February 2009 that showed that five NHS boards were freezing posts or enforcing speech and language therapy post reductions, how the Scottish Government will ensure that there are no further reductions in posts as a result of reductions in funding in 2010 and 2011.

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of a survey by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists between January and February 2009 that showed that some NHS board managers reported insufficient funding for permanent staff pay, temporary staff, basic equipment, essential communication aids and staff training, how the Scottish Government will ensure that there is no further impact on services as a result of reductions in funding in 2010 and 2011.

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of a survey by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists between January and February 2009 that showed that over a quarter of managers who responded said that changes in workforce would mean lower standards of service, how the Scottish Government will ensure that there is no further impact on services as a result of reductions in funding in 2010 and 2011.

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of a survey by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists between January and February 2009 that showed that there was 14 times more speech and language therapy provision for children in the "best" NHS board area that responded than in the "worst" area, how the Scottish Government will ensure that there is no further impact on services as a result of reductions in funding in 2010 and 2011.

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of a survey by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists between January and February 2009 that showed that adults needing rehabilitation services in the "best" NHS board that responded had access to 16 times more speech and language therapy than in the "worst" area, how the Scottish Government will ensure that there is no further impact on services as a result of reductions in funding in 2010 and 2011.

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of a survey by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists between January and February 2009 that showed that in the "best" NHS board that responded there was 14 times more speech and language therapy provision for children and that adults needing rehabilitation services had access to 16 times more speech and language therapy than in the "worst" board, what the Scottish Government will do to model safe and effective levels of speech and language therapy services and ensure equitable access to relevant expertise across Scotland.

Alex Neil: The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that all patients have appropriate and timeous access to the services they need in NHS Scotland. It is, however, for NHS boards and local authorities to determine the level of service provision required for speech and language therapy based on local needs.

Speech and Language Therapy

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of a survey by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists between January and February 2009 that showed that children and adults were waiting up to 10 months for speech and language therapy services in some NHS board areas, how the Scottish Government will ensure that waiting times do not increase as a result of reductions in funding in 2010 and 2011.

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of a survey by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists between January and February 2009 that showed that waiting times for assessment and intervention in NHS boards that responded regularly missed government targets for adults and children, how the Scottish Government will ensure that there is no further impact on services as a result of reductions in funding in 2010 and 2011.

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of a survey by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists between January and February 2009 that showed that waiting times for assessment and intervention in NHS boards that responded regularly missed government targets for adults and children, whether the Scottish Government can confirm that waiting times targets apply to speech and language therapy interventions and, if so, how many NHS boards are (a) meeting and (b) not meeting those targets.

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of a survey by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists between January and February 2009 that showed that children and young people in NHS boards that responded waited two to six-and-a-half months on average for therapy with some waiting 10 months, how the Scottish Government will ensure that there is no further impact on services as a result of reductions in funding in 2010 and 2011.

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of a survey by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists between January and February 2009 that showed that adults needing speech and language therapy rehabilitation in NHS boards that responded waited one to 10 weeks on average for intervention with some people waiting 18 weeks, how the Scottish Government will ensure that there is no further impact on services as a result of reductions in funding in 2010 and 2011.

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of a survey by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists between January and February 2009 that showed that over a third of adults with a learning disability in NHS boards that responded had to wait longer than 18 weeks for assessment and could then wait up to a year for intervention, how the Scottish Government will ensure that there is no further impact on services as a result of reductions in funding in 2010 and 2011.

Alex Neil: The Scottish Government has not set waiting time targets for the Allied Health Professions, including speech and language therapy. Waiting times are variable across Scotland and patients are seen on the basis of clinical need using locally determined criteria. The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 introduced a framework to support children and young people who face barriers to learning and guidance will be published this summer to support joint working between Allied Health Professionals and Education. This will enable more flexible working to deliver responsive, appropriate, timely and effective services. The act imposes a duty on appropriate agencies (including NHS boards) to comply with a request for help from a local authority within a period of 10 weeks.